I had the exhaust pipes, mudguard stays and kickstart lever re-chromed (cost £200). The mudguards and chainguard are the original stainless steel parts so they're fine and I had already fitted Armours' stainless silencers at £145 per pair when the originals fell apart. The silencers were a good buy, although apparently the Armous stainless pipes are not easy to fit. The tank and sidepanels were professionally repainted in two-pack. All other Morinis are red, so I had mine done in blue!

Since the rebuild the Morini has been amazingly reliable. The only really annoying fault is that the carb inlets have a habit of loosening in the cylinder heads, which is cured by using Loctite on the threads, if the bike is thrashed a lot.

1977 Morini 3½ Strada after chassis restoration

Although it's not particularly fast, its handling and roadholding are really good even with fairly old rear shocks. I'm also impressed by the apparent unburstability of the engine. It really thrives on a lot of revs, almost like a two-stroke. When I took it from Liverpool to London after the Manx GP, on its first really long ride, I was surprised by the ease and speed of the journey on a 'mere 350', loaded with luggage.

The front disc brake could do with upgrading, either to a twin set-up or maybe by a change of master cylinder to give more feel to its operation. Also, fitting a front brake switch would be advantageous and I may also fit indicators.

1977 Morini 3½ Strada with humped seat

If you're thinking of buying a similar bike then join the Morini Riders' Club for a good insight into the 3½. If you desire an early - expensive - one then look at a later model. These have certain improvements and you can retro-fit older bits when you can find and afford them. Don't bother with the electric start!